The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-01-13
JAPANESE PROGRESS.
An Oriental Nation which Is Adopting o.
cidental Dress and Manners.

An Oriental Nation which Is Adopting DO
cidental Dress and Manners.
Among the late arrivals at San Fran
cisco from Japan were w. c. De Lano
Eastlake and his mother. In an inter-
view with a reporter, MIR. Eastlake por-
trayed in pleasing colors the country
and its people.
The people are fast advancing0in the
civilization of their political. moral and
intellectual lives. In the customs of
dress there has been a marked change
during the last decade, until now the
officials and the better classes assume
the English costume. Among the former
it is compulsory, and upon the street
the old Japanese garb is seldom seen
except on the poorer classes. Among
the ladies, however, the loose gowns of
the olden days are still popular, but
even these are gradually becoming OBJ
solete and at the fashionable balls the
European dress is generally assumed.
while the programmes of the Japanese
orchestras generally include the best of
English music.
The odd yet picturesque style of hair
dressing which has so long prevailed
in the country has been superseded by
that of the American woman, and the
fair foreheads of the royal ladies are
already hidden by the bang so common
in our own country. The fashions,
however, are not set by the Empress.
The style adopted by the Ministers
wives is considered quite the proper
thing, and following their example, all
ladies of culture have stopped backing
their teeth and shaving their eyebrows.
The intellectual progress of the peo-
pie of Japan has been almost unparal-
leled. Not only has the educational
system been established all over the
empire, but the capital city boasts of a
university that can compare favorably
with the best colleges of the CONT
nent. German professors, prominent
for scientific works and research,
have filled the chairs in the scientific
and medical departments of the I'm
perial University, while in literature,
both ancient and modern, English and
Americans of advanced thought have
been chosen instructors. Recently the
staff of foreign professors has been d.
minished and the vacancies filled by
Japanese literati who have returned
from study abroad.
The works of Huxley, Spencer, OAR
win and others have been translated
into Japanese, and are familiar hand
books to students in Japan. The pro-
INDICATORS of Christianity find that they
have proud scepticism to contend
with. The Japanese talk of the ''evo-
luton of species" and the nebular
hypothesis as glibly as our learned
men. Buddhism is still the predomin.
ating faith, but Christianity is rapidly
establishing itself among the more in.
tellectual classes, although many of the
high officials express extreme bitter
ness to the doctrine and its introduce
ton. This bitterness is 80 great that
to profess Christianity means the loss
of an Official position. The people are
not conservative, however, and it is
onlya matter of time when the Chris
tian faith will be accepted throughout
the country. In all the large cities pub
lie schools are maintained, and it is COM
pulsory that after attaining certain
age children shall be sent to school. In
Toxic there are two large law schools,
one of which is conducted in the French
and the other in the English language.
Added to these is an engineering col
lege, with over 10000 volumes. and its
extensive laboratories, which have been
recently merged with the Imperial Col.
lege.
Political affairs are not behind in the
onward march of civilization, and the
chief excitement of the country now is
the preparation for the National As
sembly promised for 1890. The ground
is already purchased and the Assembly
buildings commenced, although there
is naturally some misrepresentation on
the part of suspicious minds that the
Government may not carry out its
promises to the people. As it now
stands, the governments in the hands
of the Emperor, assisted by the Senate
and House of Lords, which in the Jap
| anese is called "Gen ,ro-in." The Ma.
tional Assembly will be composed oil
| representatives elected by the people
from the various districts into which
| the country is divided, thus making the
empire a partial republic. Laws re-
garding press criticism and public
speech are very stringent. and in Meth
err is criticism of the Government al.
lowed. Regarding Japan's relations
with America I am able to speak a,
length. My visit to this country is in
| the interest of an extension of the
mercantile traffic. The United States
and its people are regarded with grea
respect by the Japanese, and in theil
eyes, as the Ftji Shinspo, one of the
leading journals, expresses it. Americs
stands out in the world like a blossom
ing1plum branch among thicket o
brambles, diffusing rich fragrance
| and compelling the admiration of al
for her great name and vigorous policy
San Francisco Chronicle.